Garda sergeant numbers halved

THE number of Garda sergeants in Ballymun has halved since 2010 despite recent reports of serious gangland death threats linked to the suburb and surrounding areas.

Figures released to Dublin North West TD, Róisín Shortall (SD), show the number of sergeants in Ballymun has dropped from 24 at the end of 2010 to just 12 this year.

Gardaí recently revealed that over 500 people in the capital have been given a Garda Information Message warning them their lives are in danger.

And while much of the gangland focus has been on the North Inner City, a feud in the Ballymun/Finglas area has also resulted in shootings and deaths.

“Since August there has been three murders linked to this feud, and the fact is many local people don’t feel the Gardaí can keep them safe anymore,” said Deputy Shortall.

“These figures show that there just isn’t an adequate police presence to tackle these issues.”

The figures obtained by Deputy Shorthall show that in 2010 there were 24 Garda sergeants in Ballymun out of a total of 128 gardai. In 2018, the number of sergeants is just 12 out of 108 gardai.

“Most of the Gardaí we’ve lost are in the lower grades that people would normally meet on a day to day basis,” said Deputy Shortall.

“These are the sort of Gardaí that are vital to building trust in a community, but how can they make a real impact when their numbers are spread so thin?

“Over the past year we’ve seen a huge increase in crime in Ballymun.

“Not a day goes by that I don’t hear a report of a burglary, drug dealing, or serious anti-social behaviour.

“The fact is many local people don’t feel the Gardaí can keep them safe anymore.

“These figures show that there just isn’t an adequate police presence to tackle these issues.

“I’ll be raising this with the Minister for Justice and pushing for the Gardaí numbers to be restored.”

Meanwhile, Gardaí have said 18 more officers are being allocated to Ballymun and 22 to Santry under a new initiative designed to increase high visibility policing in the area.

Additional gardai will be assigned to ‘hot spot’ areas, particularly in Ballymun, to address both drug and public order issues.

An Garda Síochána say high visibility patrols are the backbone of policing and are effective in preventing, detecting and eliminating the opportunity for criminal activity.

Working in new Community Policing Teams in Ballymun and Santry, gardai will work closely with local authorities, community leaders and residents to decide on policing priorities for the area.

Independent councillor Noeleen Reilly has welcomed the change in local policing strategy.

“I welcome the new policing plan for the area as the current one simple wasn’t working,” she said.

“Residents felt there was a lack of Gardaí on the ground and this was resulting in increase in crime.

“While I totally welcome this initiative – and I have already seen the increase in presence on the ground which has created greater confidence – I am concerned that Garda numbers are still well below pre-recession figures. 

“This new strategy is ambitious and it needs additional resources to implement it as well as more Garda vehicles, which are at an all time low in the area.”